Chamber and committees

Architecture and Design Scotland provides non-chargeable advice and resources to a large number of public and private organisations. This service is extensive and has been provided via a wide range of programmes, events and initiatives since the organisation was established. A breakdown of the number of organisations that the NDPB has provided free advice and resources to is not held centrally.

Architecture and Design Scotland publishes an Annual Review which contains details of their work, including information on many of the organisations and locations that have received free advice and resources through the work of the NDPB. Architecture and Design Scotland Annual Reports can be accessed at https://www.ads.org.uk/our-corporate-documents

Two Scottish Government civil servants from Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Division are involved in the Scotland + Venice project on a varying part time basis.

Architecture and Design Scotland originally identified 154 towns to be part of its Climate Action Towns project as set out in the following table.

Person-centred, safe and high-quality care for mothers and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and following birth can have a marked effect on the health and life chances of women and babies, and on the healthy development of children throughout their lives. This can help to mitigate the impact of inequalities and deprivation and their long term health and other consequences for families.

We continue to prioritise improvements to maternity and neonatal care through the implementation of The Best Start programme, in partnership with senior leaders and clinicians. For women who experience multiple disadvantage, as well as those with additional complex needs, we know that continuity of carer from a primary midwife is likely to be particularly important. That is why we have included women and families from lower Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintiles, as well as those from minority ethnic communities, as priority groups for the introduction of continuity of carer.

The Scottish Government has commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) to lead a national review to understand any contributing factors to the increase in neonatal mortality during 2021-22. This review will assess and determine whether there are any themes, underlying causes or safety factors that have contributed to the increased neonatal mortality rate from both a clinical and system perspective.

The Scottish Government discussed with National Museums of Scotland the effect of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action on 1 February 2023. NMS opened the 1st floor of the National Museum of Scotland – which includes Animal World, Kingdom of Scots, Discoveries and Imagine galleries. The National War Museum was closed. The National Museum of Rural Life was open as usual. The National Museum of Flight is currently closed during the week during winter and so was unaffected by the industrial action.

The Scottish Government provides investment to assist housing partners to deliver social and affordable homes. Over £327 million has been made available to Local Authority areas in the Highlands and Islands for the current parliamentary term. Local Authorities, through Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs), identify their housing priorities and use the Scottish Government funding to address housing need. Figures on actual homes completed, in 2021-22 and to the end of September 2022, are available on our webpages Affordable Housing Supply Programme: quarterly updates on completions - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . Planned homes, for years 2023-24 to 2025-26 within the Highland, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney SHIPs exceed 1,800, but a split between social and affordable homes on some projects are unlikely to be determined, so accurate figures are not available. SHIPs are published documents and should be available on local authorities’ webpages.

The cost of closing facilities managed by National Museums of Scotland as a result of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action on 1 February 2023 is not currently estimated. This estimation would be carried out by National Museums of Scotland themselves rather than by Scottish Government.

The cost of closing sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland as a result of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action on 1 February 2023 is not currently estimated. This estimation would be carried out by Historic Environment Scotland themselves rather than by Scottish Government.

The cost of closing facilities managed by National Galleries of Scotland as a result of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action on 1 February 2023 is not currently estimated. This estimation would be carried out by National Galleries of Scotland themselves rather than by Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government discussed with the National Galleries of Scotland the effect of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action on 1 February 2023. The National Galleries made the decision to close each of their galleries, shops and restaurants. All support colleagues were asked to work from home.